With key injury losses before the season even began, the younger University of Victoria Vikes players knew they had to grow up in a hurry this season.
They are doing just that as two goals each from freshman standouts Nick Park and Matteo Ventura gave the Vikes a 5-0 victory over the winless Lethbridge Pronghorns (0-7-1) in Canada West men’s soccer action Sunday at Centennial Stadium.
The Vikes, 2-1 losers at home Friday to the Calgary Dinos (3-4) after Ventura had given the hosts a 1-0 lead, evened their record at 3-3-3.
UVic next plays Thursday at home against the University of Northern B.C. Timberwolves in a game to make up a fixture that was postponed in late summer because of the B.C. wildfire situation.
The UVic Vikes women’s soccer team, meanwhile, added to the freshman theme as rookie Aishy Shinomura scored twice at Centennial Stadium in a 6-0 victory over UBC-Okanagan (2-3-1).
UVic (4-3) began the weekend with a 3-0 victory over Thompson Rivers (1-4) on goals by Kiara Kilbey, Caitlin Millham and Emma Skalik with Puck Louwes recording the shutout.
The Vikes are in Edmonton on Friday to face the MacEwan University Griffins.
FIELD HOCKEY: Veteran power propelled the University of Victoria Vikes (2-0-2) to two Canada West women’s field hockey victories over the Dinos in Calgary.
Two first-half goals by fifth-year forward Lindsay Cole led UVic to a 5-1 win Sunday, while the weekend began with goals by Cole and fellow-fifth year player Stefanie a Langkammer in a 2-0 victory as sophomore Robin Fleming recorded the clean sheet.
The Vikes host the defending U Sports national-champion UBC Thunderbirds on Oct. 6-7.
BASKETBALL: UVic hosts the annual Guy Vetrie Memorial Tournament for men’s teams beginning Thursday with the Vikes meeting Saskatchewan Huskies at 8 p.m. at CARSA Gym after the Manitoba Bisons and Ryerson Rams tip-off the tournament at 6 p.m.
Games on Friday have the Rams and Huskies playing at 4 p.m. and Vikes and Bisons at 6 p.m. The tournament concludes Saturday with Manitoba meeting Saskatchewan at 5 p.m. and UVic playing Ryerson at 7 p.m.
The UVic women’s cagers also begin their exhibition season with games against the UNBC Timberwolves on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. in CARSA Gym.
